JANUARY TRANSFER ROUNDUP

The mid-season transfer window has now closed and Sunderland have sent a small army of players out on loan and a few have left on a permanent basis too. The incomings haven’t been as numerous but we’ve still seen the signings of three players in total. Here’s a quick rundown of all of our business:

TRANSFERS IN:

JOCELIN TA BI (RW):

Signed for a fee of £3.5 million from Israeli Premier League side Maccabi Netanya, 20-year-old Ivorian Jocelin Ta Bi looks to be one for the future. The right winger never actually played for his parent club, instead spending his two years in Israel loaned out to Hapoel Petah Tikvah. He helped Petah Tikvah to promotion out of the second tier last season and continued to perform well at the top level, scoring twice and assisting twice in 12 games this season.

MELKER ELLBORG (GK):

Presumably brought in to be our second choice goalkeeper, 22-year-old Swede Melker Ellborg has had his entire career carried out in his home country so far. In his last two seasons at Malmo FF, he kept an impressive seven clean sheets in 17 matches and gained experience playing in European competitions; mainly the Europa League. Ellborg joined us for a fee of £3 million.

NILSON ANGULO (LW):

Our most notable signing of the window is versatile winger Nilson Angulo from Anderlecht, who prefers the left side of the pitch but is perfectly comfortable operating on the opposite flank as well. We forked out £15 million plus £2.5 million in add-ons for his signature. Also 22, Angulo started out in his native Ecuador before moving to Belgium, where he has scored 10 goals and assisted 11 in 94 appearances for his club. This season has been particularly impressive for the Ecuadorian, with seven goals and eight assists in 30 matches played. You’d imagine he’s going to pretty quickly challenge for game time.

PERMANENT OUTGOINGS:

JAY MATETE (CM):

24-year-old Jay Matete departs the club permanently, after 25 matches played, one assist and one promotion on his CV. During his time at Sunderland, he had loan spells at Plymouth Argyle, Oxford United and Bolton Wanderers, the first of which he won the League One title with in 2023. Matete joins Milton Keynes Dons in League Two, who are currently fighting it out for automatic promotion to the third tier.

BEN MIDDLEMAS (CM):

Under-21 regular (75 appearances, five goals and 18 assists) midfielder Ben Middlemas has departed for Swindon Town, who are targeting promotion to League One this campaign. The 21-year-old never made a senior appearance for the Lads.

JOE ANDERSON (CB):

Centre-back Joe Anderson has left Wearside for Barrow in the fourth tier after seven appearances for Sunderland since joining in January 2023. He played primarily for the under-21 squad and out on loan at Shrewsbury Town whilst here. The 24-year-old has been thrown into a relegation dogfight at his new club.

BLONDY NNA NOUKEU (GK):

Blondy Nna Noukeu has gone to France’s second tier with US Boulogne, where the 24-year-old has already established himself as their first choice ‘keeper. They’ll be looking to stay in the division come the end of the season. Nna Noukeu never played for the first team at Sunderland but he did play four times and keep one clean sheet for the under-21s.

ADIL AOUCHICHE (AM):

Playing a small role in our promotion last season but with the bulk of his 38 games, two goals and four assists for Sunderland coming in the 2023/24 season, attacking midfielder Adil Aouchiche has been picked up by promotion and title chasing Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga 2. Towards the end of his career in the North East, the 23-year-old enjoyed positive loan spells at Portsmouth and Aberdeen.

PATRICK ROBERTS (RW):

The biggest name to leave the club in this window, Patrick Roberts made 147 appearances, scored nine and assisted 18 for the Lads in his four years on Wearside. He won two promotions during that time. Roberts has departed for newly promoted Birmingham City in the Championship after an initial, and successful, loan spell in the Second City.

LOAN OUTGOINGS:

TIMOTHEE PEMBELE (RB):

Timothee Pembele has been loaned back to Ligue 1 outfit Le Havre after a spell their last season, the right back has made just eight appearances since joining the Lads.

TREY SAMUEL-OGUNSUYI (ST):

The Belgian striker has gone out on loan to League Two Shrewsbury Town, he’s made one appearance for Sunderland so far.

JAKE WATERS (ST):

Academy striker Jake Waters is at National League North Spennymoor Town until the 7th February.

TIMUR TUTEROV (LW):

The young left winger has been sent to get his first taste of senior professional football at third tier Exeter city.

ISAAC ALLAN (GK):

Academy of Light goalkeeper Isaac Allan is spending the rest of the season at Northern Premier League Premier Division outfit Whitby Town.

TOM LAVERY (RB):

Right back Tom Lavery has gone to National League Halifax Town for the remainder of the campaign.

ETHAN MOORE (RW):

Moore has gone to National League Gateshead to get some experience.

ARTHUR MASUAKU (LB):

Brought in on a free in the summer, Masuaku played just four times for us before falling out of favour and then expressing a desire to leave. Lens, who sit second in Ligue 1 and just two points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain, decided to take a chance on him on a loan deal.

AJI ALESE (CB):

The centre-back has been limited to just 46 games and one goal in his three-and-a-half seasons on Wearside due to recurring injury problems. A loan to Championship Portsmouth will hopefully allow him to move on with his career.

ANTHONY PATTERSON (GK):

Our number one goalkeeper for a number of years prior to the acquisition of Robin Roefs, he’s made just one appearance this season for Sunderland, Patterson will be hoping for more game time at Premier League hopefuls Millwall. He’s made 169 appearances for the Lads since graduating from our Academy, keeping 51 clean sheets and earning two promotions.

SIMON ADINGRA (LW):

Not always at his best since we bought him from Brighton and Hove Albion this summer, with one goal in 15 matches played, Adingra has gone to Ligue 1 Monaco until the end of the season with an option to buy.

LEO HJELDE (CB):

The Norwegian defender played a small, but important, role in our promotion last season and is now seeking to get on the grass again with vanquished play-off finalists Sheffield United in the second tier. Hjelde has made 30 appearances in Sunderland colours.